1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp having a light emitting device as a light source, more specifically, to a vehicle lamp configured to irradiate light to form a light distribution pattern having a horizontal cutoff line and an oblique cutoff line at an upper end thereof
2. Background Art
In recent years, light emitting devices, such light emitting diodes, are increasingly being used light sources of vehicle lamps.
For example, a related-art vehicle lamp includes a convex lens arranged on an optical axis extending in a front-and-rear direction of the lamp, and a light emitting device arranged substantially on a rear focal point of the convex lens (see, e.g., JP 2005-44683 A). This vehicle lamp is a direct-optical type lamp (a non-reflector type lamp), which is configured to deflect direct light from the light emitting device through the convex lens.
The vehicle lamp further includes a shade disposed in front of the light emitting device. The shade shields a portion of the direct light, whereby a light distribution pattern having a horizontal cutoff line or an oblique cutoff line at an upper end thereof is formed.
According to such a configuration, the vehicle lamp can be downsized. Further, an upper end edge of the shade may be designed to form a light distribution pattern having a horizontal cutoff line and an oblique cutoff line at an upper end thereof
However, according to such a vehicle lamp, there is a disadvantage in that a luminous flux from the light source cannot effectively be utilized as a portion of the direct light from the light emitting device is shielded by the shade.